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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pop — soda
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — decided
  7. pop — music
  8. wound — an injury
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — there
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lie — to recline
  13. present — the time now
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. present — a gift
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. firm — a company
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com